Zeng Zi (505 BC – 435 BC), surnamed Zeng ,曾氏, 名參(shēn), zi you, a native of Nanwucheng ,in modern Pingyi, Shandong, shandong). A thinker in the late Spring and Autumn Period, one of the disciples of Confucius in his later years, an important representative of the Confucian school, and a descendant of Xia Yu. His father Zeng Dian, one of the Seventy-Two Sages, and his son Zeng Zeng, was a famous Chinese thinker and an important representative of the Confucian school.
Advocating Confucianism with "filial piety and faithfulness" as the core, the political concept of "repairing Qi Zhiping", the cultivation concept of "introspection and prudence and independence", and the filial piety concept of "filial piety as the basis" still have extremely valuable social significance and practical value. He participated in the compilation of the Analects and wrote works such as "University", "Filial Piety", and "Ten Pieces of Zengzi".
King Kao of Zhou died in the sixth year (435 BC) at the age of seventy-one. Zeng Zi occupies an important position in the history of the development of Confucianism, and is later revered as "Zongsheng", becoming one of the four pairs worthy of the Confucius Temple, second only to the "Fusheng" Yan Yuan.
Zeng Zizhi pointed out the pain
When Zeng Zi was a teenager, his family was poor and he often went into the mountains to collect firewood. One day, there were guests at home, and the mother was overwhelmed and bit her finger with her teeth. Zeng Shan suddenly felt distressed, knowing that his mother was calling out to him, so he quickly returned home with chai on his back and knelt down to ask the reason. The mother said: "There is a guest who suddenly arrives, and I bite my finger and hope that you will come back." Zengsan then received the guests and treated them with courtesy.
Zengzi killed pigs
Deeply taught by Confucius, Zengzi was not only highly learned, but also very honest, never deceived others, even for his own children.
One day, Zengzi's wife was going to the market, and the child cried and cried to go with his mother. So the mother lied to him: "Good child, stay at home and wait for the mother, and the mother will come back to kill the pigs for you to eat." The child believed it, and while running home happily, he shouted: "There is meat to eat, there is meat to eat." ”
The child stayed at home all day waiting for his mother to return, and the friends in the village came to play with him, but he refused. Leaning against the base of the wall and basking in the sun, he imagined the taste of pork, and his heart was very happy.
In the evening, the child saw his mother return from a distance, and he ran forward to greet him with three steps and two steps, while shouting: "Mother, mother kill the pig, kill the lard, I am about to die of hunger." Zengzi's wife said: "A pig tops our family's rations for two or three months, how can it be easy to work and kill pigs?" ”
The child cried with a wow. Zeng Zi heard the sound and knew the truth of the matter, but did not say a word. Turn around and go back into the house. After a while, he came out with a kitchen knife, and Zengzi's wife was frightened, because Zengzi had always been very strict with the child, thinking that he was going to teach the child a lesson, and quickly took the child in her arms. Ne Zhi Zengzi ran straight to the pigsty.
The wife asked incomprehensibly, "What are you doing when you run to the pigsty with a kitchen knife?" ”
Zeng Zi replied without thinking: "Kill the pig."
The wife laughed when she heard it: "But what pig to kill during the New Year's Festival?" ”
Zeng Zi said solemnly, "You didn't promise the child to kill the pig to give him food, but since you promised it, you should do it." ”
The wife said, "I am only deceiving the child, why should I take it seriously when talking to the child?" ”
Zeng Zi said: "It is even more important to say and do what the child says, otherwise, is this not obviously to let the child learn to lie to the parents?" Adults don't count their words, what qualifications do they have to educate their children in the future? ”
The wife bowed her head in shame after hearing this, and the couple really killed the pig for the child to eat, and feasted on the villagers, telling the villagers to teach the children to lead by example.
The story of Zengzi's slaughter of pigs has been passed down to this day, and his character has always been respected by future generations.
Zeng Zi avoided the table
ZengZi was a disciple of Confucius, and once he sat down next to Confucius, Confucius asked him: "The former sage king had supreme virtues, subtle and mysterious theories, used to teach the people of the world, so that people could live in harmony, and there was no dissatisfaction between the king and his subordinates, do you know what they are?" Zeng Zi listened and understood that the teacher Confucius wanted to point out his deepest truth, so he immediately stood up from the seated seat, walked to the outside of the mat, and respectfully replied: "I am not smart enough, where can I know, and ask the teacher to teach me these truths." ”
Here, "avoiding the seat" is a very polite act, when Zengzi heard that the teacher wanted to teach him, he stood up, walked outside the seat to ask the teacher for advice, in order to show his respect for the teacher. The story of Zengzi's understanding of politeness was recited by posterity, and many people learned from him.
Chen Yi was a native of Luozhou in the late Sui and early Tang dynasties, and once listened to his father teach the first chapter of the Book of Filial Piety with several older brothers.
My father said, "The ancients didn't have chairs, they all sat on the floor." Confucius taught to his disciples, and everyone sat at the table. One day, as Confucius was speaking, he suddenly asked a question and asked his disciple Zengzi to answer. When Zeng Zi saw that the teacher wanted him to answer the question, he quickly stood up, stood to the side, lowered his hands, and respectfully answered Confucius's question..."
"This is the story of Zengzi's avoidance. Do you get the idea? Several brothers all understood, only Chen Yi stood up, sorted out his clothes, stood to the side, and said respectfully, "Understood." ”
Later, Chen Yi became a monk and his legal name was Xuanzang.
Zeng Zi Li Festival
Zeng Zi dressed in robes to cultivate, and Lu Jun sent people to Zhi Fengyi. "Please use this to trim your clothes." "Zeng Zi is not affected. Reverse, reciprocate, and not be affected. The Prophet said, "Sir, if you do not ask for others, but if you give them to others, you will not receive them?" Zeng Zi said: "The subject hears of it, the one who receives is afraid of others, the one who gives is proud, and the king has gifts, but I am not proud, can I not be afraid?" "Not at all. Confucius heard this and said, "The goodness of participation is enough to complete its festival."
Translation: ZengZi wore worn-out clothes to farm in the fields. The monarch of the state of Lu sent people to him to give him a town. Say, "Please use the income from this town to decorate your costume." Zengzi did not accept it, and the envoys sent returned, and soon after they came again, but Zengzi still did not accept it. The man who sent him said, "Sir, he did not ask the monarch for it, but it was given to you by the monarch himself, so why didn't he accept it?" Zeng Zi said: "I have heard that when you accept something from others, you are afraid of offending others; those who give things to others will inevitably be arrogant." Even if Lu Jun gave me Caiyi and did not show arrogance to me, can I not be afraid of him? In the end, it was not accepted. Confucius learned of this and said, "Zeng's words were enough to preserve his integrity." ”